Immigration Battle Divides Ariz. GOP
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PHOENIX—The protesters gather every morning before dawn, monitoring the entrance to a fenced compound called the Macehualli Work Center. They are trying to shut the place down. They wave placards and take photos of anyone driving in to pick up the day laborers who congregate there. They want nothing less than to save America from what they call “the invasion.”
“Most of us don’t feel safe on the Phoenix streets without being armed,” says Wes Pecsok, a contractor who keeps his pistol in an inner vest pocket. “We’re not going to be intimidated by these thugs. “
The protesters are members of the Minutemen, Riders USA, United for a Sovereign America. They find a common bond in their rage, their fury at the government, their loathing of Hispanics who have come to the United States illegally. They say that many immigrants carry disease, and kill cops, and rape children.
{snip}
The Wild West is actually a rather ordinary-looking, heavily commercialized artery called Bell Road. Mexico is a three-hour drive south of here, but Bell Road and places like it are where the worlds collide, one culture grinding against the other. And in the home state of Sen. John McCain, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, that clash has driven a wedge straight through the Arizona GOP.
The party is controlled at the district level by activists who detest McCain for his sponsorship, with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), of a comprehensive immigration bill that among other things would have provided illegal immigrants with a pathway to citizenship. They think McCain is a traitor to conservative causes and an advocate for amnesty for illegal immigrants.
{snip}
Said John Acer, a lawyer who, like Haney, showed up last weekend at a meeting of the Republican state committee in Glendale: “He’s despicable. Dishonest. Duplicitous.” And so it goes, on and on, all these Republicans who wince at the mention of McCain’s name, and who can think of few things worse than having the state’s senior Republican senator ascend to the White House.
McCain is likely to win the state’s Republican primary on Tuesday. He wins elections here in Arizona easily. Party activists don’t control the Republicans in voting booths any more than they control the senior senator. But McCain’s in-state problems reflect his national quandary as he tries to convince American conservatives that he’s one of them.
{snip}
At the GOP meeting, a few volunteers staffed a McCain table, passing out fliers listing misconceptions about McCain—playing defense in hostile territory.
Haney, probably the most vociferous of McCain’s critics, patrolled the hallway wearing a little button on his lapel that read “McCain 2008” and had a slash through it. He agreed that Goldwater today wouldn’t get his vote: “He’s pro-abortion, pro-homosexual agenda,” Haney said. And he says he sees little difference between McCain and Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton on the immigration issue. “He’s for open borders. He’s for amnesty. Hillary’s for amnesty.”
{snip}
On Bell Road, that fear is shared by the many Hispanics who work or shop at the car lots, pawnshops, liquor stores, furniture stores and check-cashing operations that line the highway, one of the main drags in North Phoenix.
{snip}
“There’s a hatred for rising Hispanic communities in Arizona. They don’t want little L.A.’s in Arizona,” says co-worker Barbara Gutierrez, 40.
{snip}
Max Romero, 41, proprietor of John’s Olde Barber Shop—a Hispanic-oriented business with “peluqueria” stenciled on the front window—says that most of his customers are more focused on the Super Bowl than on Super Tuesday. But he makes a prediction about Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.):
“I think that light-skinned brother’s going to win. Because Oprah backs him up. The senator for us, McCain, he just seems so senile. He don’t make no sense. Homeboy’s young.”
In the parking lot, men congregated around the back of a pickup truck, apparently hoping to get hired. More men gathered on a distant street corner. The day laborer center where the protests are held was vacant. The demonstrations have effectively shut the place down, scattering the workers.
A state law that took effect Jan. 1 heightens penalties on business owners who hire illegal immigrants. The consequences have yet to play out, but some proprietors on Bell Road say business is down as Hispanics either save their money or flee the state, to points unknown. Some people worry that crime will spike. And people are frightened.
The manager of a liquor store, a Palestinian man who gave his name only as John, said the crackdown on employers is going to have terrible consequences among the Hispanics who live in the area. They’ll do “crazy stuff,” he predicted.
“They’re not going to go back to Mexico! There’s no jobs there!”
{snip}
Barb Heller said she fears what amounts to an annexation of parts of Arizona by the Mexican government: “The president of Mexico is saying that wherever there is a Mexican, that’s Mexico.”
She showed up for Saturday’s protest with a surgical mask around her neck. “No TB please” was written on it.
A Hispanic man approached on the far side of the street. She put the mask on. She said she does it whenever someone might be carrying tuberculosis. Illegal immigrants don’t have to pass health tests before getting jobs, she says. They might be working right there at McDonald’s, she said.
{snip}
(Posted on February 4, 2008)
Comments
Despite his campaign ads, John McCain has basically not retreated from his Kennedy/McCain position. He now says that he has heard the people and will secure the border before any further steps. The “further steps” are exactly what he proposed in the Kennedy/McCain amnesty bill. After deporting “criminals”, he will allow almost everyone else to remain in the country with Z-visas and continue to take jobs from Americans. They must pay a small fine and learn English. This will basically legalize up to 20 million illegals. Whatever he calls this, its still amnesty.
McCain apparently has not cared about the problems the illeal aliens brought to citizens of his state. He clearly sides with the illegals and against the people who put him in office.
He has also turned his back on his party and almost always votes against it on key issues. Just to name a few:
Illegal immigration, against the tax cuts, against drilling for oil in Alaska, in favor of closing Gitmo and granting Constitutional rights, including a lawyer and the right to have a trial in the U.S. He also thinks that talking mean to captured terrorists is torture. (I could go on and on)
This guy is really bad news and not even close to being conservative even tho he represents himself as one.
If elected, he would be a 72 year old stupid and stubborn man who is completely out of step with his party and America.
Posted by Jake at 6:36 PM on February 4
I wouldn’t vote for either McCain, Hillary or Obama….they all kiss the asses of the illegals….they don’t care about the citizens of this country. The only man who wouldn’t bow down to these criminals is Ron Paul and the only way for him to win is to write his name in on election day….that would be a plus for this country and the only way to turn things around.
Posted by lydia at 6:41 PM on February 4
This has nothing to do with immigration. Pretty much every poll, every vote, where American citizens are allowed to speak and be heard spells the same message. No matter how many times the question gets asked, amnesty and illegal overpopulation are soundly rejected. Stronger border enforcement and employer penalties, always supported. In fact, the more often McCain and the illegals whine about “rights” only serves to increase the American citizen’s resolve to deport every last one.
“Immigration battle divides AZ GOP”
Very little division that I see, GOP or otherwise. Only a small noisy minority of rabble, illegals, and their chamber of commerce politicians. How about…
“Arizonans increasingly united, fed up with illegal aliens”
There, fixed it for ya, WaPo.
Posted by Edward at 7:02 PM on February 4
McCain took too many blows to they head at the Hanoi Hilton. He’s completely cracked. Too bad. He was a good man years ago.
Tom Iron…
Posted by Tom Iron... at 8:02 PM on February 4
To be fair, I believe that McCain has “seen” the demographic future of the U.S. (or at least “Aztlan”) and is acting accordingly - he just wants his “30 pieces of silver”.
Can you blame him?
Posted by Obscuratus at 9:41 PM on February 4
The differences between HRC and McCain (McKennedy) are purely cosmetic. Both are left-wing, pro-amnesty warmongers who hate the middle class.
If people PERCIEVE a major difference between the two, it is solely because one is a Democrat and the other is a Republican.
Different labeling, similar product.
Posted by Old Victorian at 9:42 PM on February 4
If the Arizona Republicans really want make a statement about illegal immigration they should kick out Rep. Jeff Flake (R) who is more radical than McCain ever was. For you AMREN readers from AZ how does Flake keep getting re-elected considering his open borders advocacy, and almost constant sponsoring of amnesty bills???
Posted by Skipper at 1:36 AM on February 5
“I think that light-skinned brother’s going to win. Because Oprah backs him up. The senator for us, McCain, he just seems so senile. He don’t make no sense. Homeboy’s young.”
I Tarzan, You Jane.
Posted by at 6:14 AM on February 5
I am still shocked over Teddy Kennedy’s endorsement of Obama. How bipartisan could he have been then to endorse his buddy John McCain.
Posted by Kellie at 11:10 AM on February 5
“I think that light-skinned brother’s going to win. Because Oprah backs him up. The senator for us, McCain, he just seems so senile. He don’t make no sense. Homeboy’s young.”
In Senor Romero we get a glimpse of the reasoning process of today’s hispanic voter. He has clearly delved beneath the surfaces, weighed all sides of every issue, and noticed subtle differences between the candidates.
Presumably following much deliberation, debate, and internal struggle, Senor Romero eventually arrived at the conclusion that one leading candidate is a “light-skinned brother,” a “homeboy,” and is “young.” This is why, in Senor Romero’s careful analysis, this candidate “will win.”
Yet Senor Romero has ALSO noticed that another prominent contender is, by contrast, NOT so young — that he is, in fact, “so senile” and “don’t make no sense.” This is why this candidate will NOT win.
Nope, not much makes it past the towering powers of observation of Senor Romero. That Senor Romero is pretty darned sharp, all righty.
With such inquisitive and rigorously rational minds as Senor Romero’s flooding our country, that “vibrant,” salsa-dancing, taco-flavored paradise the Open Borders Lobby keep promising us is surely just an Amnestia away!
Posted by The Incredible Shrinking White Man at 1:06 PM on February 5
I’ll be writing in Mitt Romney for President. All you Amreners who bash Christianity should read up on Mormonism. I think you’d like it.
Posted by sofita at 6:07 PM on February 5
Romney for President? Like Amnesty? Like pathway to citizenship?
Believe just 12 million illegals are here? See Mitt go round in circles, and sounding like Bush, McCain, Huckabee, Clinton & Obama on amnesty for all illegals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-GlhpQkDtc
Posted by terry at 2:21 AM on February 6
“I’ll be writing in Mitt Romney for President. All you Amreners who bash Christianity should read up on Mormonism. I think you’d like it.”
Mormonism is as much a cult as scientology, if not worse. Read up on Joseph Smith sometime, guy was nuts. But mormonism like all religion is a choice. Personally I like alcohol and I can’t please one woman, let alone two or more.
Posted by HawaiianCC at 10:28 AM on February 6
The “winner” of this presidential campaign was decided years ago by our shadow government comprised of the foreign and domestic ruling elites. You don’t really believe that these treasonous power-obsessed communist Globalist ruling elites would let a little thing like the will of the people stand in the way of their bid for establishing a global totalitarian police state, do you?
Posted by at 12:14 PM on February 6
Conventional wisdom says that a Third Party vote is a half-vote for the opposition. As I cannot in good conscience cast a vote for John McCain, I will cast a half-vote for Obama, though, because White Nationalist leanings die hard, I will reserve that half-vote for the half of Obama that is white.
Posted by RaceandCountry at 11:03 PM on February 6